PIO doctor to open application of stem cell research in Nitte
Mangaluru :
UK-based orthopaedic surgeon, Dr Anand A Shetty will start a clinical application of stem cell research in the city along with Nitte University. This will help in curing cancer and other related ailments.
Dr Shetty, who hails from Asode near Koteshwara in Udupi district, was honoured with the ‘Outstanding Clinical Excellence’ award by the UK’s House of Lords this year. Dr Shetty is winner of a host of awards including the prestigious Hunterian Surgical Medal and Hunterian Professorship for 2017 awarded by the Royal College of Surgeons of England for his research on stem cells in particular cartilage repair. Only four Indians have received this award so far.
A knee surgeon and director of stem cell research at Canterbury Christ Church University, Dr Shetty’s main interest lies in stem cell research, cartilage transplant, accelerated bone healing, and robotics in minimally invasive surgery.
In an exclusive tete-a-tete with TOI, Shetty spoke about his future plans for India especially the coastal city. “I began my research on stem cells around three decades ago when it was still in its very nascent stage. I got into cartilage and bone repair area. The biggest breakthrough was in 2000, where we did the first bone transplant surgery in the UK. To get such facility to India, with help of Nitte University, we set-up a multi crore facility in Deralakatte campus three years ago and a similar lab set-up in Hubballi for Dharmasthala hospital,” explained Dr Shetty.
He adds in the second phase his team wants go for cloning. “We want to clone high-milk yielding cow and pig for meat production. To start the process, we want to have clinical application in five years or by 2020 in Mangaluru,” he asserted.
Indian physicians, Dr Shetty says are most respected and trusted in the UK. If a British citizen has a health issue, he first tries to see an Indian doctor. “Racism did exist when I first entered the profession the 1980s. It changed in 1996 when the Labour government came to power,” he adds.
Apart from his surgical innovations, Dr Shetty is also the first surgeon to use robotics in arthroscopic knee surgery and gel-based cartilage repair surgery in the UK.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> News> City News> Mangalore News / by Kevin Mendonsa / TNN / May 20th, 2017
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TSR award for Nagesh Hegde
Gangadhara Hiregutti to get Mohare Hanumantha Rao award
Noted journalist Nagesh Hegde, who writes extensively on environment and science issues, has been chosen for the prestigious TSR Memorial Award by the government for 2016.
Gangadhara Hiregutti, editor, Munjavu daily, has been selected for the Mohare Hanumantha Rao Memorial Award.
An expert committee, headed by former judge Indrakala, announced the award on Monday. The awards carries a purse of Rs.1 lakh each and a citation. The awards will be conferred on these two journalists at a function to be organised shortly, according to a release.
Mr. Hegde served as Assistant Editor, Prajavani, and was also with Sudha, a weekly magazine. With a master’s degree in environmental sciences from the Jawaharlal University (JNU), he taught Environmental Geo-Science at Kumaon University, Nainital.
Environmental issues
He wrote extensively on environmental issues during his tenure as feature editor at Sudha.
He has delivered lectures on environmental issues in various parts of the world. He has also worked towards popularising science among rural communities.
Mr. Hegde is the recipient of many awards, including the Karnataka Rajyotsava and that of the Karnataka Sahitya Academy. He has written over a dozen books in Kannada on science, environment and development.
Award for U.R. Rao
U.R. Rao, space scientist, has been chosen for the Bhaskaracharya Award, instituted by Sri Channaveera Swamiji Foundation of Saranga Math in Vijayapura district. This was disclosed by Arun Shahpur, MLC, to presspersons here on Monday.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Bengaluru – May 16th, 2017
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Bengaluru doctor wins international award for role in fight against tobacco
Cancer specialist US Vishal Rao of Bengaluru has been honoured with the 2017 Judy Wilkenfeld Award for International Tobacco Control Excellence, for his role in combating tobacco use in the country. Dr. Rao was presented the award on Wednesday at an event organized by the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids in Washington D.C.
Dr. Rao’s efforts led to a ban on gutka, chewing tobacco and e-cigarettes in Karnataka. However, the State government recently overturned the ban on chewing tobacco. Dr. Rao is a member of the High-powered Committee on Tobacco Control instituted by he Government of Karnataka. He is also the inventor of a Rs. 50 voice box prosthetic for throat cancer patients whose larynx has been removed.
“With strong government commitment and advocates willing to champion the cause, we can greatly reduce the burden of tobacco use in India,” he added.
“The committee gave the award in recognition of the steps taken towards implementing the Cigarette and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition) Act, and how Karnataka led the way in this,” said Dr. Rao, speaking over telephone from Washigton. “Another was the implementation of the ban on gutka and chewing tobacco by the Government of Karnataka,” he added.
Dr. Rao said that the battle continued with the recent order from the Food Safety Commissionerate reversing the ban on chewing tobacco. “We have written to the State government that the order contravenes its commitment made to the Supreme Court to ban chewing tobacco and gutka,” said Dr. Rao.
The Wilkenfeld Award was established in honour of Judy Wilkenfeld, the founder of Tobacco-Free Kids’ international program. Dr. Rao is the second Indian to receive the award, the first being Pankaj Chaturvedi of Tata Memorial Hospital in 2013.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Bengaluru / by Staff Reporter , Cinthya Anand / Bengaluru – May 12th, 2017
NRI doctor from Kalaburagi is Labour Party candidate for UK polls
Bengaluru :
NRI doctor Neeraj Patil has come a long way. Hailing from Kamlapur in Kalaburagi district, he became the mayor of London Borough, Lambeth, and is now a Labour Party candidate from Putney in southwest London. He is contesting for the UK parliamentary elections on June 8.
Patil is pitted against the Conservative Party’s education minister Justine Greening. The latter has been representing the constituency since 2005.
Patil, born and brought up in Kalaburagi, had taken the lead in installing a statue of 12th century philosopher Basaveshwara on the banks of Thames in 2015. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unveiled the statue.
He was on the Labour Party’s shortlist to run for the London mayor in 2015. Patil had campaigned for the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls in 2015. He is working as a consultant in accident and emergency medicine in London.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News> City News> Bangalore News / TNN & Agencies / May 12th, 2017
Shivaji statue arrives in Hubballi
An equestrian statue of Maratha King Shivaji, which was eagerly awaited by the Maratha community of Hubballi-Dharwad, has finally reached Hubballi from the artist’s studio in Indore.
The 12-ft bronze statue of Shivaji Maharaj riding a horse, weighing approximately 2,500 kg, was made by sculptor from Indore Mahendra Kodwani. Mr. Kodwani has earlier made other statues of historical personalities for installation at various junctions in Hubballi.
It took nearly a year for Mr. Kodwani to complete the bronze statue.
It was only after approval from the former Mayor and Municipal Commissioner of Hubballi-Dharwad that the work on the statue began. The Mayor and the Commissioner, who had visited the artist’s studio at Indore, had inspected the clay model and after their approval, Mr. Kodwani began fabrication work.
The statue reached Hubballi on a truck on Monday. It will be kept wrapped till its installation at the Mahatma Gandhi Park.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / Hubballi – May 09th, 2017